Tauranga MP supports initiatives to improve Asia Awareness in schools
19 August 2011
MP for Tauranga Simon Bridges will share his Asia experiences with Bay of Plenty principals next week [Wednesday, August 24], at a meeting designed to inspire more Asia-related content in classrooms.
The Asia New Zealand Foundation (Asia:NZ) has organised the breakfast meeting, the first for the Principals’ Asia Aware Network in Tauranga. Asia:NZ set up the network - which is in five regions, including the Bay of Plenty - to help principals prepare their pupils to be global citizens with an understanding of Asia.
Mr Bridges will kick off the meeting by sharing his own recent experiences in Japan, China and Taiwan. He will also outline the Government’s strategic focus on Asia and discuss the importance of the region to young adults as they move into higher education and employment.
Asia:NZ’s Director Education Vanessa Lee says the Bay of Plenty is a key region for the foundation’s work in the education sector. “Bay of Plenty principals are leading the way in developing Asia Aware schools in New Zealand.” She adds that key companies in the region - including Zespri and Comvita - have a major focus on Asia.
She says Asia:NZ’s work in the region is helped by its unique relationship with economic development organisation Priority One. Priority One’s education programme focuses on internationalising students.
Asia:NZ has strong links to Bay of Plenty colleges, which offer a range of activities designed to help prepare pupils for future employment related to Asia. In the past few years, the foundation has supported 10 teachers and principals from the Bay of Plenty to travel to Asia for professional development initiatives. One of them, Selwyn Ridge Primary School principal Craig Price, will speak at the breakfast meeting about his experiences at the recent Singapore Principals’ Forum organised by Asia:NZ.
The meeting’s guest speaker is Mary Anne Mills, the curriculum project leader at CORE Education, a not-for-profit educational research and development organisation. She will challenge principals to lead urgent change in their schools to help their pupils become more Asia-aware. She will also discuss how they can use Asia:NZ’s publication Educating for Asia: the New Zealand Curriculum and Asia Guide.
Asia:NZ is a non-profit, non-political organisation dedicated to building New Zealand’s links with Asia through business, culture, education, research and media.
The Principals’ Asia Aware Network meeting will take place from 7.30am to 9am on Wednesday, 24 August, at The Sebel Trinity Wharf, Trinity One.
For more information, contact:
Vanessa Lee
Asia:NZ Director Education
Telephone: 64 4 815 8432
Email: vlee@asianz.org.nz